Missionaries of Excellence? Post-award Role Orientations of Journalism Prize Winners

This article examines the post-award implications of international prize culture within journalism profession. Through qualitative interviews with winners CNN competitions, this paper specifically investigates how news professionals discursively construct notion excellence space award practice, and then they subsequently perceive their roles in dispensation. The key findings show that journalists’ understanding through awards is fluid based on individual, institutional as well professional notions what constitutes par/sub-par journalism. These “bearers excellence” themselves promoters high standards journalistic practice champions normative roles, such watchdog role, which fits into broader mission specific institution sponsoring awards.